Ice name former NHL star as head coach

The Indiana Ice announced a pair of personnel moves in their hockey operations department Tuesday.

Head coach/GM Ron Gay has been reassigned to the newly created Operations Director of Ice Sports & Entertainment and the team has hired Jeff Brown as the new GM/Head Coach of the club.

"Ron has been an integral part over the last two years in the community with the Indiana Ice and the Indiana Junior Ice youth programs," said Ice Executive Vice President and C.O.O. Justin Hart. "We have multiple new projects in the pipeline and future long term planning ahead of us. His experience at the arena programming level will be a huge long term asset for the organization moving forward."

Taking over the coaching reins for the Ice is former NHL defenseman Jeff Brown who has been signed with the club through the 2013-14 season. Brown's NHL career spanned 13 years and included stops in Quebec, St. Louis, Vancouver, Hartford, Carolina, Toronto and Washington. He played in 747 games and amassed 585 points (154 goals, 431 assists) and 498 penalty minutes.

During his peak years with Quebec and St. Louis in the late ‘80's and early 90's, he was a power play specialist who was first among team defensemen in scoring on six different occasions. His best year was in 1992-93 with St. Louis where he registered 25 goals and 78 points on a team that included NHL greats Brett Hull and Brendan Shanahan.

"I am extremely excited to tackle this challenge," said Brown. "I look forward to coaching in the premier junior hockey league in the United States."

As a coach, he has enjoyed success in the junior ranks as he coached the St. Louis Bandits of the North American Hockey League for four seasons which included three Robertson Cup Final appearances and one Tier II national championship.

"We welcome Jeff to the Indiana Ice organization and if history is correct we hope his head coaching experience will give the team a chance to turn around a very difficult start to the season and work towards a ninth consecutive playoff appearance in the USHL," stated Hart.

Coach Brown's staff will include Associate Head Coach Matt Curley and Assistant Coach Adam Krug as the new staff prepares for a road set in Waterloo this upcoming weekend.